User Experience in 10 easy concepts

Does it still sound like gobbledygook to you when people start talking about user experience? This simple definition of 10 key UX concepts will put an end to many of your doubts.

User experience (UX) is the term given to all those aspects of a product or system which have an impact on users’ overall levelof satisfaction. The result of UX is the generation of a positive or negative perception of any given service, product or device. In short, do users like it or not?

This perception depends on factors relating to design as well as other aspects relating to emotions, feelings, product reliability, etc.

Take note!

Accessibility: This is the capacity of a website to permit access to all users regardless of any possible limitations they may have, and to enable them to perceive, understand, browse and interact with the site in a satisfactory manner. The objective of design for accessibility is to make the site accessible to all.

Agile UX and Lean UX: These two concepts are often used to mean the same thing but they are in fact different. Agile UX involves integrating UX in agile software development methodologies whereas Lean UX, according to an article entitled “Lean UX in Spanish” is a cross-functional approach using routines which helps teams to obtain high quality UX results efficiently and with an intelligent use of time.

Information architecture: This is the discipline which involves organizing, classifying, ordering, structuring and describing the content on a website in order to enable users to meet their needs for information as efficiently as possible. The web map is of key importance in this domain.

Interaction Design: This is the discipline which deals with designing the way one interacts with the website. This means anything to do with the interactions which are offered to offered to the user at any given moment and how the application responds to the interactions carried out. Also known as IxD it is closely related to information architecture.

Graphic Design: This consists of designing the graphic and visual aspects of a website. This is particularly important as it will affect usability right from very first interaction. A good graphic design will enable the product to be understood well and will reinforce its visual identity in the whole communication process.

Mobile-First: This means giving top priority to mobile devices when designing the website. According to Luke Wroblewski, the objective of Mobile First is to take into account the limitations of small screens and help designers prioritize key tasks which focus on the real needs of users. This results in sites which are easier to browse and to understand on mobile devices.

Target persons: This is a study of users which is carried out in order to include people’s characteristics and objectives in user data. In order to run this study fictitious “persons” are used who represent certain patterns of behaviour with certain aims and needs. It is one of the main techniques used in Interaction Design.

A/B tests: This is a website design technique which consists of making small changes in the design in order to ascertain the effectiveness of each version in reaching a specific objective. A good use of this kind of test would be in the purchasing process in an e-commerce, where small changes may result in significant increases in sales.

Usability: This refers to the ease of use of an application or interactive product. There are two aspects to usability: the first is objective and measures such aspects as how easy it is to learn, how efficient it is, how easy to remember and how effective; the second is subjective and is based on the users’ perceptions of how satisfied they may be.

Wireframe: A technique used in information architecture, a wireframe is a rough visual guide of the structure of a website. It helps to define the content and set it out visually. The wireframe helps one to focus on the design of contents rather than on visual design.

So now you know the most important things you need to know about user experience terminology. What do you think is most important when it comes to creating a good impression on users? Don’t forget you can leave your comments below.